Building Capabilities in Radiation Sciences Simon M. Pimblott Dalton Cumbria Facility School of Chemistry, Univ. of Manchester

A £ 20+ million joint initiative between the University of Manchester and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

Westlakes BTC at Sellafield 1. Research facility for non-active engineering decommissioning & radiation science studies 2. University access to British Technology Center 5% of allocation for UoM usage 5% for academic collaborators under scheme administered UoM “Nuclear Universities Research Consortium”

PVC degradation by radiation Radiation chemistry of mixed media, especially Pu containing systems Production of molecular hydrogen (and the fate of complementary oxidant) Understanding the effects of mixed radiation fields Radiation induced production of corrosive agents Effects of radiation on cements and grouts Research Challenges Radiation effects on: Interfacial process Heterogeneous systems Humid and damp systems Hydrocarbons and organic polymers Chlorinated materials in realistic environments i.e. under pressure & at temperature. Research Needs Nuclear Decommissioning & Waste Clean Up

Detailed model of radiation effects Track structure simulation Effects of physico- chemical processes Radiation chemical & materials modeling ab initio theory Experiment & data analysis Reaction dynamics theory

Physical infrastructure:  Mixed radiation types  Appropriate “analytic” support to allow surface and bulk interrogation  Computational facilities  Machine / electronics shop Intellectual capacity:  Sustainable “resident” academic community Requirements

Sources for Radiation Chemistry Tandem Pelletron for 1 H, 4 He & heavier ions 60 Co  irradiator Electron LINAC

Team target by 2010: 30 researchers plus support personnel Chair Professor of Radiation Sciences 3 Junior Academics in Chemistry / Materials Sciences 6 Post-doctoral Research Associates / Experimental Officers 20 Graduate Students Radiation Sciences Programme Free Radical Research Radn Chemistry Research Radn Damage Research Materials Interrogation Laboratory Radiation Sources Analytic Support Laboratory Surface Chemistry Research